Social Artistry is the art of enhancing human capacities in the light of social complexity. It seeks to bring new ways of thinking, being and doing to social challenges in the world to create a world that works for everyone!

Through Social Artistry young adults learn to:

Look at one’s past, present and future through four levels of awareness: physical/sensory, psychological/historical, mythic/symbolic, and integral/spiritual/wisdom.

Understand the crucial relationship between culture and behavior. This encompasses beliefs, values, story, norms, music, dance and art. Emerging Leaders as Social Artists fosters appreciation for the young adult’s wisdom and insights.

Form leadership teams that work cooperatively to create new social paradigms and practices to create a “World that works for everyone.”

At the August 2013 Social Artistry Summit, two young adult leaders, Jesi Vasquez (left) and Firefly Walter, presented to the Social Artistry community a proposal for training young adult leaders. Firefly affirmed, “We don’t ask you to do the work for us—we ask you to mentor us, and we will realize our vision together.”

Emerging Leaders as Social Artists is a collaborative leadership initiative devoted to training young
adult leaders (18-35) to deliver the Social Artistry curriculum; incorporating their language, stories, music, art, dance and technology.

Phase One: Identifying and Training Core Young Adult Leaders

Young adult leaders attended an Introduction to Social Artistry, Building Creative Communities Conference and the Social Artistry Trainer’s Training, sponsored by the Colquitt Community Development Corporation of Southwest Georgia, January 28-February 7, 2014 in Colquitt, GA.

Phase Two: Curriculum Adaptation

Six of the young adult leaders who completed the Introduction to Social Artistry and Trainer’s Training have applied to participate in a curriculum retreat where they will collaborate with experienced mentors to incorporate music, stories and other aspects of today’s youth culture into a trainer’s manual, participant’s workbook and a field guide. The Horace Mann School in Bronx, NY, will sponsor the curriculum development retreat at the School’s environmental education center, the John Dorr Nature Lab, in Washington, CT, June 23-30, 2014.

Phase Three: Emerging Leaders: Introduction to Social Artistry

Emerging Leaders training teams will then pilot the newly adapted materials with their source populations. An “Emerging Leaders Introduction to Social Artistry” using the culturally adapted curriculum will be held in August 2014. Then at least 4 more in various locations to follow during the rest of the year as Emerging Leaderstraining teams will be available to present in the southeast, northeast, west coast, midwest and other areas. As the initiative evolves, there will be opportunities for additional young leaders to become Social Artistry trainers.

Emerging Leader Describes His Experience

Winston Gilcrease, one of the Social Artists who participated in the Young World Leader’s Conference, described the life changing experience as young leaders from 6 continents and 12 countries came together to prepare themselves for their part in world leadership:

“We were like the new leaves on a big Central Park maple tree, being opened to a new consciousness and to new learning techniques while we carried in our bodies the world’s pain and joy. We came together at a crucial time in our lives. We lit each other up with new energy. We ignited.”

Robertson Work, who was United Nations Principal Policy Advisor in Decentralized Governance for 15 years, speaks to youth:

“At this moment of global-local crisis, you are being called to be all that you can be moment by moment. You are being called to create a world that works for everyone. You are being called to reinvent society, community by community, and organization by organization, so that everyone can realize his or her full potential.”

A Message from Social Artist Joyce McNamara As the old curse goes “May you live in interesting times”, a case can be made that we are living in very interesting times. I often fall into despair over the question of how I can make a difference. So with that in mind I’d like to ask […]

Join us at the Social Artistry Odyssey July 8-15 in Ashland, OR, where you will experience a week of multigenerational learning and play: an Introduction to Social Artistry led by young adult trainers; the StoryBridge process, steeped in the tradition of theater as sacred community healing; and a Day With Jean Houston and Peggy Rubin […]

Join us at the Social Artistry Odyssey July 8-13 where you will experience StoryBridge July 10-11 music, myth, story, laughter, and healing “Everything is changing, the old solutions don’t work, and the old categories are collapsing,” says Dr. Richard Owen Geer, co-author of Story Bridge: From Alienation to Community Action. “People know they carry vital energies […]

Teresa Miskell hosted a Bruncheon for Emerging Leaders on January 16th at the home of Lisa Nelson. It was well attended by over 30 who enjoyed Eggs Benedict, quiche, and sweets. Those present learned about the Emerging Leaders project, and many contributed financial support to help secure venues and materials for Introductions to Social Artistry […]

Summer Odyssey was Powerful for All Ashland was the place to be this past summer for Social Artists! Some were just starting out on their Social Artist journey, and some have been involved for years. Emerging Leaders (young adults 18-35) led a Social Artistry retreat at the Jackson Wellsprings Resort in Ashland, OR August 22-28, […]

Ashland is the place to be this summer for Social Artists! Whether you are just starting out on your Social Artist journey, or have been involved for years, check out our summer offerings and how you can get involved. Social Artistry Odyssey August 22-28 2015 Jackson Wellsprings Resort, Ashland Visit www.socialartistryodyssey.com for schedule details, stories […]

Emerging Leaders Vision Realized with Social Artistry Texas Training On April 4 at the Soma Vida Center in Austin, Texas, two Emerging Leaders Social Artistry trainers conducted a one-day introduction to Social Artistry processes as applied to creativity: how to embody creativity and nurture community at every level of our beings. Katie Dutcher and Rebecca […]

Emerging Leaders Will Gather for Second Annual Social Artistry Odyssey Plans are in the works for another weeklong Odyssey retreat at the Jackson Well Springs in Ashland, OR August 22-30, 2015. REGISTER NOW! Dr. Jean Houston and Peggy Rubin are on the program, Richard Geer will be back with story bridge theatre, and there will […]

Deepening Social Artistry for Emerging Leaders Module 1 – Inner Capacities November 15: 9 am to 9:30 pm, November 16: 8:30 to 4 pm The Launching Pad, Berkeley CA Cost $175 including Sunday Lunch Two days of descent into the Journey of the Social Artist requires preparation. In lively interaction you will identify personal and […]

Social Artistry Ashland Experience August 2014 (letter from Social Artist Victoria Scott) A deep stirring in my soul told me that these two weeks in Ashland were going to be life changing, not simply from what I was going to learn but also from the connections that would be made there. Not at all surprisingly, […]

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About the Foundation

The Jean Houston Foundation promotes positive social change by developing international communities of leaders in Social Artistry™. People trained as social artists apply a wide range of cutting edge leadership and human potential development skills for finding innovative solutions to critical local and global issues.